food bank
/fuːd bæŋk/
CommonA charitable organization that distributes free food to people who cannot afford it, or an informal reference to reaching that level of need.
The most serious term in the broke-food vocabulary. Using it lightly can feel out of step for people who have actually needed food banks. Context determines whether it's humor or honesty.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | food bank saved me last winter and i'm not embarrassed to say it | The person used a food bank out of necessity and is removing the stigma around admitting it. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | between jobs for 3 months. food bank era was real. | During a period of unemployment, the food bank was genuinely needed. | reddit, 2022 |
| 03 | normalize talking about the food bank. a lot of us have been there. | Remove the stigma from accessing food assistance by acknowledging how common it is. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 04 | if you need the food bank use it. that's what it's there for. no shame. | Direct statement normalizing food bank use for people who need it. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Describing a period of genuine food insecurity.
- Talking about accessing or needing free food resources.
- Acknowledging a level of financial hardship beyond broke meals or struggle meals.
Do not use it when
- As a casual joke if the person hasn't actually experienced food insecurity.Use “struggle meal” instead.
- When a lighter term like broke meal fits the situation.Use “broke-meal” instead.
Origin and context
Food banks have existed since the 1960s in the US. The internet slang use of 'food bank era' or 'food bank szn' emerged from social media communities around financial hardship where people began speaking openly about accessing food assistance.
- First seen
- 2020s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/food-bankUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0